CHAPTER 472: CHAPTER 310 DANGER WILL APPROACH FROM ALL SIDES_2

His face lacked any skin on the lower half; his nose was merely two holes, and his lips had vanished. Looking at that man, his face resembled a skeleton. The exposed flesh and bone on the middle and lower portions stood out grotesquely, yet his eyes brimmed with vitality and cruelty. However, as their eyes locked, that terrifying man bowed deeply, and the killing intent abruptly dissipated.

After bowing to Yan Xiaobao, the man turned around, and the massive red tiger beside him left the courtyard. Left behind was a worried young man, still able to feel the chill that made his hair stand on end.

This man and his Demon Beast were undoubtedly the ones who had been tailing them since they departed the Capital after leaving the Demon Residence Cave. His beast was evidently responsible for dispatching the two guards on that fateful night.

The Demon Beast was a massive tiger. Counting its tail, it easily measured 7 meters long and stood about 3 meters tall. Its claws were enormous, and upon inspection, they seemed perfectly suited for slicing through corpses.

Even after the man and beast left the courtyard, the young man’s hair refused to settle, and he found no relief, knowing it wasn’t a group tailing them, but a single man—an individual clearly not to be trifled with.

Once the man disappeared from view, Yan Xiaobao picked up a Memory Stone and used it to record all of his memories and knowledge about the scarred man. Only then did he hurry to the room where his friends were sleeping.

Bursting into the room, he finally settled down, seeing that they were all fast asleep. He decided to keep everything to himself until morning. The man had left for the night, and it was clear he had no intention of returning, allowing the group some well-earned rest through the night.

Yan Xiaobao sat on the bed and quickly entered meditation. As his body began to brighten, he felt the peak performance of his cultivation techniques. His body absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, slowly refining it into Qi, which in turn was further refined into spiritual energy.

He remained in this meditative position, resting, and didn’t open his eyes until sunlight streamed through the window, reminding him that they needed to move swiftly. Yan Xiaobao opened his eyes and found the others already awake, working efficiently to prepare for their journey.

Breakfast was enjoyed in the inn’s dining area, and after consuming a large quantity of food, they returned to the streets and rushed toward the tunnel.

Once they were on the road, the Memory Stone Yan Xiaobao had filled the previous morning was passed to the six mercenaries. When they examined its contents, their expressions turned grim.

"I know him," Xu Biao muttered in a low voice, keeping his revelation from the rest of the group. Even now, Yan Xiaobao could sense those haunting eyes watching them.

"He’s a member of the Dragon Army’s purging division. Formally known as the Black Dragon Army. This man has spent a long time in the Demon Residence Cave. Without a doubt, Zhou Long sent him to us." After finishing his statement, Xu Biao’s face twisted into an ugly expression.

"This man is a King-level expert. I don’t know if you’re capable of handling him; he far surpasses the last King-level expert you encountered."

"I cannot handle him," Yan Xiaobao admitted, a troubled expression flashing across his face. "The power I can summon is limited, and I can rarely pull it off—once every few years at best."

Hearing this, Xu Biao looked shocked at the young man. "Once every few years?" he asked, as if something had obstructed his ears, misinterpreting Yan Xiaobao’s words. Nodding, the white-haired boy’s face darkened visibly, regret flickering over him for relying on Lan Feng’s carefully cultivated strength in the past. Currently, he was trapped in a situation he couldn’t withdraw from.

Xu Biao fell silent for a while, though his eyes grew colder as time passed. When he glanced behind them, his face twisted into a sly smirk as he searched futilely for Scarface, ultimately only spotting ordinary citizens going about their daily routines.

He nodded and turned to Yan Xiaobao, patting the boy on the shoulder. "In this kind of situation, you, me, and Elder Xie Lan should group together. If we unite, we should be able to take him down."

Upon hearing the elder’s reassurance, warmth flooded Yan Xiaobao’s heart, filling him with gratitude he couldn’t properly express. He knew Zhou Long’s vendetta involved sending one assassin after another, targeting both him and their entire team, yet his friends were resolute in helping him face the troubles he’d caused.

After putting the Memory Stone back into his pocket, Yan Xiaobao grumbled briefly, weighing his options. Although he couldn’t draw upon Lan Feng’s power any longer, Yan Xiaobao wasn’t the type to give up easily. His eyes sparkled with a lasting and indomitable resolve.

As the caravan rolled down the road, cloaked shadows moved between two buildings. A shrouded figure emanating killing intent stood alongside a colossal Demon Beast. Gazing at the caravan, a sinister smile spread across his face, and with a flick of his sleeve, he melted into the shadows, trailing the caravan in the same direction.

The following days passed uneventfully. Without the ominous aura of killing intent, Yan Xiaobao might have believed they were merely on a peaceful journey. Everything proceeded according to plan.

Unfortunately, he remained uneasy, uncertain about how to deal with the man. Their impending entry into the tunnel would require decisive action, knowing the pursuer from the Black Dragon Army would surely follow them inside. Escape within the tunnel wouldn’t be an option.

But the journey pushed forward relentlessly, and each day brought them closer to the tunnel. By the fourth day, the group could see the cave wall looming on the horizon. Embedded in the cave wall were gates leading to the tunnel and onward to the next cave. The guards were buzzing with excitement since none of them had ever left this cave before, but Yan Xiaobao’s anxiety only deepened, conscious of the man who shadowed them.

Reflecting back, it seemed the man knew better than to confront them outright. They realized their best strategy was to stick together as a group, denying Scarface the opportunity to pick them off one by one.

"Don’t overthink it," Xu Biao said, noticing Yan Xiaobao’s tense frown and realizing the youth was lost in thought. "You’re not alone," the Guild Master continued. "Just leave this man for Elder Xie Lan to handle."

Hearing this, Yan Xiaobao’s gratitude surged again. Yet, he wasn’t accustomed to relying on stronger individuals. Though he deeply appreciated the Guild Master’s kindness, he remained determined to do everything in his power, relying most on himself.

The remainder of their journey to the cave proceeded smoothly. No one was harmed, and the organization adjusted well to the unease brought by lingering killing intent—the kind of threat their more sensitive members had learned to tolerate. Scar-faced Killer did nothing to the group directly but trailing them, in some ways, was more unnerving than knowing his full intentions.

Considering things again, Yan Xiaobao suspected that the man’s inaction stemmed from waiting for them to enter the tunnel. Yet, even knowing this offered no solutions. Their destination lay beyond the network of tunnels; halting wasn’t an option.

Yan Xiaobao contemplated leaving the accompanying members with his friends, as the solitary man’s pursuit clearly aimed at him. However, now that he’d contacted the young Guild Master Yang Bai, Yan Xiaobao had no doubt Scarface would kill anyone connected to him.

Sighing deeply, Yan Xiaobao pressed forward. Seven days later, they finally reached the tunnel. Stewards disembarked from their carriages and presented mission documents to the guards, who then opened the gates, permitting their entourage to enter the shadowy depths.

This was what they’d anticipated. However, unlike the path between Cave’s End and the Demon Residence Cave, the tunnel ahead contained a lit pathway. Though sounds of Demon Beasts echoed ominously nearby, several paths led into absolute darkness.

The illuminated road was the one Yan Xiaobao and his group chose to follow, but even with its light offering some measure of safety, they knew Demon Beasts could attack at any moment. All the friends instinctively surrounded the caravan, creating a protective barrier to guard against unseen threats.

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